7 chapters across the catalog
The Harris campaign's proposal to ban corporate price gouging on food is compared to socialist price fixing, with warnings that it could lead to food shortages. The Washington Post published a critique of Harris's $25,000 down-payment assistance for homebuyers, suggesting it would inflate housing prices. A tangent follows regarding rising homeowner insurance rates and a story about a driver's ed instructor arrested after lecturing against insurance company databases.
San Francisco State of Emergency and Coronavirus Testing Costs
San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency despite a lack of confirmed local cases, which the hosts suggest is a move to secure government funding. They report that coronavirus testing in the United States can cost up to $3,000 without insurance coverage. The segment concludes with a comparison of coronavirus lethality to annual deaths from hospital errors, gun suicides, and opioid overdoses.
Insurance Industry, 500-Year Floodplain Rate Disputes
Insurance companies are increasingly categorizing the Texas disaster as a 500-year flood rather than a 100-year flood to manipulate coverage rates. This distinction significantly impacts the financial liability of insurers and the premiums paid by property owners in affected zones.
Allstate Driving Patent, Physiological Monitoring and Data Sales
Allstate has been awarded a patent for technology that monitors driving habits, including braking, speed, and physiological data like heart rate via the steering wheel. The patent envisions selling this data to banks, marketers, and health insurance companies to assess risk. Proponents argue it improves safety and offers discounts, while critics warn of a future where insurance is mandatory and behavior is constantly tracked.
Obama Contraceptive Mandate, Pharmaceutical Industry Profits
The Obama administration's mandate for insurance coverage of contraceptives is framed as a windfall for the pharmaceutical industry. By eliminating co-pays, the policy encourages the use of expensive brand-name drugs over generics, benefiting companies like Pfizer. This shift is expected to drive up overall insurance premiums despite the lack of immediate cost to the consumer.
FDIC Funding Crisis and Bank Lending Proposals
The FDIC is considering a plan to borrow billions of dollars from healthy private banks to replenish its insurance fund, which has been depleted by a wave of bank failures. Critics argue this creates a circular financial logic where taxpayer-funded banks lend money back to the government with interest.
The failure of credit rating agencies is highlighted by Standard & Poor's delayed downgrade of AIG following an $8 billion loss. The relationship between investment firms and analysts is described as a "bogus scam" where high ratings were often exchanged for underwriting business during the dot-com era.
